Reform Housing Spokesman Sacked Over "Inappropriate" Grenfell Remarks
Reform Housing Spokesman Sacked Over Grenfell Remarks
Simon Dudley, Reform's housing spokesperson, has been dismissed from his role following widely criticised comments he made concerning the Grenfell Tower disaster.
Mr Dudley, a former executive at Homes England, told Inside Housing magazine that while Grenfell was "a tragedy", "everyone dies in the end". He further described the building safety regulations introduced in the wake of the 2017 fire as "regulation which is not working".
Reform leader Nigel Farage confirmed the sacking, stating that Mr Dudley was "no longer a spokesman for the party". Mr Farage added that the comments were "deeply inappropriate" and "frankly rather shocking".
"Ignorant and Callous" Comments
The remarks drew immediate condemnation, with a group representing the bereaved of Grenfell branding them "ignorant and callous". Kimia Zabihyan from the Grenfell Next of Kin group emphasised that the deaths were "gross negligent manslaughter, not fate", and refuted the suggestion that building regulations hinder development.
Other political figures, including Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Housing Secretary Steve Reed, also called for Mr Dudley's dismissal, with Mr Reed describing the comments as "beyond the pale". Green Party MP Siân Berry stated that the suggestion post-Grenfell safety rules had "gone too far" represented "a new low".
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry concluded that the fire, which claimed 72 lives, was entirely preventable and resulted from systemic failures in building regulation and widespread dishonesty within the industry regarding fire safety.
